Sommeliers Flock To Chilean Wine

NEW YORK, NY (April 11, 2012) On Tuesday, over 30 Guild of Sommeliers members attended the Wines of Chile Master Class at Corkbuzz Wine Studio in New York City led by Master Sommelier Fred Dexheimer.

The class presented a brief overview of Chile and four flights of wine, one of each featuring Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Syrah, and Carmenere from varying regions. Attendees were presented with pictures that demonstrated the differences in soils, climate, altitude, and more for each region as the wines were tasted.

“This is the first time we’ve done a Master Class, but it certainly won’t be the last,” said Dexheimer, “Most of the event’s attendees are enrolled in the Master of Wine program so it’s important to show them an in-depth presentation of the country and allow them to taste the regions side-by-side. Chile is fast-developing as a wine-producing country and we want people to understand this as the quality of the wine continues to improve and regions own specific varieties.”

Dexheimer was joined by two additional Master Sommeliers, Laura Maniec, Co-Owner of Corkbuzz Wine Studio and Board of Directors Member for the Guild of Sommeliers, and Cameron Douglas, New Zealand’s first and only Master Sommelier, to discuss the wines as they were tasted.

“This is just part of our push to better-educate the trade on Chilean wines,” said Lori Tieszen, Executive Director for Wines of Chile USA, “we have increased our focus on the trade for 2012 and were happy to see so many young, interested sommeliers join us for the tasting.”
The Wines of Chile, in conjunction with the Guild of Sommeliers, will host an additional two Chilean Wine Master Classes at the Epic Roasthouse in San Francisco, CA on Monday, April 30, 2012. Tickets are available to Guild of Sommelier members at www.GuildSomm.org.

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About Wines of Chile
Wines of Chile is an organization committed to promoting the quality and image of Chilean wine throughout the world. It has offices in Santiago, London, and New York, as well as representatives in Canada, Ireland, and Denmark. WOC also works closely with ProChile to develop and offer promotional and educational programs in Asia, Latin America and Europe. Wines of Chile’s 95 member wineries belong to Vinos de Chile and represent 93% of Chile’s bottled wine exports.